Supply Chain Technology Blog

eCommerce Warehouse Processes and Solutions

Due to the growth of ecommerce, warehouse processes and solutions need to change to adapt to increasingly diverse order profiles and order volumes

Increasingly, distribution centers are confronted with the challenge of adapting to a world dominated by eCommerce . From juggling direct-to-consumer shipping and case fulfillment for retail replenishment to updating order picking protocols and fulfilling multiple SKU orders, it can be challenging to keep up with all of the operational and infrastructural demands introduced by eCommerce. How can you ensure your warehouse processes and order management are ready for the strains introduced to your supply chain from multiple order profiles and variability to order volume?

Seeking to optimize its supply chain, Quality Bicycle Products opted for HighJump’s WMS technology — surpassing its goals and surprising even its leaders in the process.

Quality Bicycle Products has always placed a premium on efficiency. With over 5,000 customers around the world and a longstanding commitment to rapid fulfillment, the company must ensure that every bicycle part across its four distribution centers moves through the supply chain as quickly as possible.

QBP primarily works as a B2B vendor for mom-and-pop bicycle shops, handling eCommerce order fulfillment and shipping directly to customers on these small businesses’ behalves. In recent years, however, the company has begun to see a flood of bulk orders from around the country come through its distribution centers, slowing operations and overloading a supply chain built to accommodate smaller shipments. Fortunately, QBP was able to channel the agility of HighJump’s WMS software to navigate the challenges created by this rising tide.

In the face of increased competition from ecommerce giants, Colony Brands turned to HighJump to streamline order fulfillment and jumpstart a same-day shipping policy.

Based in Monroe, Wisconsin, Colony Brands is a mail-order company that has shipped quality food, clothing, and household goods directly to customers across the country since 1926. And for most of its history, the company has relied on the same protocol for incoming orders — processing the whole lot in a single large batch every day.

In 2017, however, Colony Brands confronted a major challenge. Despite the steady flow of orders the company was receiving throughout the day, it didn’t have the infrastructure needed for same-day order fulfillment. If a customer ordered something after 12pm, Colony Brands was simply unable to process the order for same-day shipping.

Nothing about Dollar Shave Club is traditional – not its business model, not its advertising and not its viral growth. Even so, when the eCommerce company decided to internalize fulfillment, it first targeted a traditional, on-premise warehouse management system (WMS).

Just as you iron out the kinks in your omnichannel fulfillment strategy, the business comes to you with exciting news: your company wants to start offering same-day delivery. It’s your job to figure out how to execute on this new strategy to reach more consumers and drive more business from current customers.

More than two decades ago, Jeff Bezos founded a website with the belief that a centralized online model would be better for consumers and his business than physical stores. That website, Amazon.com, started with books and over the years has become a one-stop shop for anything you could ever want. The result is the most powerful online retailer in the world and one of the most influential companies on the globe.

As you process those final returns from the holiday rush, now is the time to evaluate your operations. When order volumes skyrocketed – especially on Black Friday and Cyber Monday – it probably unearthed weaknesses in your supply chain.

Helm’s business model is different than that of most companies – and the supply chain challenges it faces are equally unique.

The business provides branded merchandise, third-party fulfillment and technology solutions to a group of high-profile customers. Clients range from Domino’s Pizza to Merrell Shoes to auto giants like Ford and BMW. Products fulfilled from Helm’s two warehouses range from apparel to car owner manuals to refrigerators and everything in between. Every customer has personalized requirements, and that means Helm must have dynamic, flexible processes.

One of Helm’s central challenges in meeting customer expectations is shipping 90 percent of its orders same-day. Many of the products Helm ships out for its clients are for one- or two-day events – timing is everything.

It’s impossible for retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers to deny the allure of Amazon Prime.

That checkmark followed by the five blue letters next to your product offer a massive opportunity – the kind that could change your business forever. Not only is the list of Prime members growing each and every day, but many of those members order primarily or exclusively items guaranteed to be at their doorstep in two days.